Frequently Asked Questions from Transfer Students
If you're prepared to transfer in the near future, within the next two semesters, you will want to do the following:
- File a completed application with the Admissions Office
- Arrange for official academic transcripts to be sent directly to the Admissions Office from all institutions you have attended
- Make an appointment to meet with the Transfer Advisor in the COE department that offers your chosen degree program
- Check the MSU calendar pages for important schedules and deadlines
If you plan to transfer at a future date, such as a year or two from now, you should gather information now that will make your transfer as smooth as possible. We recommend that you meet early with a Transfer Advisor from the department of your choice. They'll help you plan your class schedule before transferring to MSU.
While each degree program has its own listing of specific course requirements, there are some requirements that are common to all or most of the COE degree programs. Following are suggested links to help make your transfer as smooth as possible and your academic plan efficient:
General education requirement, Core 2.0 – To earn a B.S. degree at MSU, you will complete a set of general education, or core, classes. It's best to complete half or more of these courses at your home institution before transferring to MSU. But, you don't need to complete all core classes before transferring. It might be easier to schedule your remaining core classes with your required engineering courses.
Common technical courses – Each B.S. engineering degree program offered by the COE requires all of the courses listed below (exceptions: CET and MET programs). Ideally, students planning to transfer at the end of the second year in an engineering program would complete all of these courses at the home institution before transferring. There are exceptions, however, where students transfer at other times in their program. By following a modified schedule, they also successfully complete degree requirements at MSU.
Courses required by each B.S. engineering degree program at MSU:
- Chemistry CHMY 141, College Chemistry I, 4 cr (includes 1 cr lab.); (or equivalent course)
- Mathematics
- Physics
- PHSX 220, Physics I, 4 cr (includes 1 cr lab.); (or equivalent course)
- PHSX 222, Physics II, 4 cr (includes 1 cr lab.)*; (or equivalent course)
- * Civil Engineering-Bio-resources option requires either PHYX 222 or an alternate specified course; see degree requirements
Course equivalents are listed between MSU and many other institutions for academic institutions, both in-state and out-of-state. This listing is very useful when finding equivalents among non-engineering courses and for determining the level of engineering courses. However, due to the nature of technical courses in engineering curricula, most engineering and other technical courses must be evaluated on a course-by-course basis by the Transfer Student Advisor in each engineering department.
For further information, use the following links for complete curriculum requirements for each degree program, suggested semester-by-semester academic planning of courses, and contacts for departmental Transfer Advisor.
Curriculum requirements for the B.S. degree you choose can help you decide which classes to complete at your home institution before transferring. Careful planning, with the help of the Transfer Advisor, can help minimize the time it takes you to graduate.
- Flow charts show recommended course schedules and prerequisites for specific bachelor's degrees.
- Advisors at the home institution and program advisors within the individual MSU COE departments can provide specific help with individual planning.
Transferring after 1 to 4 semesters tends to work best, after completing most of the required mathematics courses in your chosen major.
No, sometimes transferring after only 1 or 2 semesters is best, in case required courses for your chosen degree are not available at your home institution. Check with a Transfer Advisor.
In general, starting in the fall has some advantages due to course scheduling; however, students do transfer successfully by starting in the spring semester. Also, for some degree programs, there can be an advantage to starting at MSU in the summer, to take mathematics courses or other required courses (the number of COE courses are limited in the summer; check for the specific program of interest.)
As soon as you decide you may want to transfer to MSU in the future, you can contact a Transfer Advisor to help with planning your coursework before transferring. Contact information is available on the Department Advisors page.
Yes, please contact an academic advisor at your home institution as soon as you decide you might later transfer to MSU to complete your degree. This can be very helpful for assisting with your current course plans as well as for deciding when it is best for you to transfer to MSU.
Bring transcripts of all courses taken at other schools, and course syllabi for any courses specifically in your major, such as engineering courses you've completed at another school.
MSU administers a Math Placement Exam that identifies the level of math course in which to start.
Yes, you can contact the department of your choice to request an informal evaluation of your transcripts. Although this unofficial evaulation can have minor differences from the official evaluation, it can be very useful as you plan for a future transfer to complete your bachelor's degree. You should contact the Transfer Advisor in the selected department for this evaluation.
MSU Office of Admissions conducts official evaluations after all final and official transcripts have been received, as part of the admissions process. Departments evaluate technical courses required by the major.